


Hollowed Out

by strangeBeetles



Category: The Hollow (Netflix)
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Comfort, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Nightmares, Romance, Slow Build, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-05-26 19:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15008258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangeBeetles/pseuds/strangeBeetles
Summary: Adam, Mira, and Kai have successfully finished the game, but that doesn't mean their lives will just go back to normal. After the trio escapes the digital world of 'The Hollow' they realize that all their memories from before the game are still gone. While attempting to resume their daily lives from before, they begin to notice that they brought pieces of the game with them into the real world. How will the three adapt to their new reality and keep their friendship together.





	1. Adam

Adam woke with a gasp.

He was emmidiately assaulted by blinding light and a roaring in his ears. He blinked rapidly and shielded his face with his hand, waiting for his eyes to adjust. His body felt weak and achy as he pushed himself up from his chair. The lights dimmed and he could just make out the sight of a large crowd of people before him, clapping and cheering wildly.

That’s right! They had won the game!

Adam smiled and turned to search for Mira and Kai. They were there, right beside him and just as ecstatic about winning.

“We did it!” Mira cheered, reaching to grab both Kai and Adam’s hand.

Adam couldn’t believe it. He squeezed Mira’s hand, recognizing the way her skin felt different than when they were in the game. He stared at her and Kai as they cheered. They looked the same as they did in the game, yet somehow different.

“How’s that for an ending?”

Adam started; he recognized that loud and eccentric voice and turned to find the owner. It was the weird guy. He looked, dressed, and sounded the same, except for the color of his skin, which was lightly tanned instead of sickly purple.

A heavy trophy was pushed into their hands and the weird guy pulled them close, his arms around their shoulders.

“Congrats, kids!” he yelled over the noise, while a host of photographers clambered through the crowd to take their pictures.

Adam felt himself being pushed forward. The weird guy began shuffling the three of them off the stage and into a brightly lit hallway. 

“Now, kids, we just need to do a few interviews, a couple psych evaluations and then you can go home and get some rest.”

Adam’s smile fell away. Home. He couldn’t remember where that was. He couldn’t remember who his parents were, or where he went to school, or even his last name. His heart began to beat wildly in his chest. He tried to remember anything before the game and came up with naught. He remembered waking up in the underground bunker and before that, nothing.

“Wait, stop!” he yelled, pulling away from the weird man’s hold.

Kai, Mira, and the weird stranger all stopped to look at him with stunned and worried expressions.

“What’s wrong, Adam?” Mira asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t remember,” he gasped. “I can’t remember anything from before the game.”

The weird guy stared at Adam and then looked over at the other two teens with a questioning gaze.

Mira squinted and rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I… I can’t remember either.”

“Me either!” Kai interjected. “What’s going on?”

The weird man rubbed a hand across his chin while the three of them stared, waiting for answers. “Interesting,” was all he said.

“Interesting?” Adam yelled, incredulous. “We can’t remember anything from our real lives, and all you can say is ‘interesting’.

“Well, this is unexpected,” he replied, completely unfazed by Adam’s anger or the confusing situation. “Rogers.” The weird guy snapped his fingers and a man at the end of the hall stood at attention. “Retrieve the other team and bring them to lab 2.”

The man nodded before rushing off, and the weird guy returned his attention to the three teens. “Follow me,” he commanded, and took off down the hall with a quick and determined gait.

Adam traded a skeptical look with Kai and Mira before shrugging his shoulders and following the man.

“Since you can’t remember,” the weird guy began, “Allow me to introduce myself.” He halted, turned to them and offered a low, old-fashioned bow. “My name is Cameron.” He held up a single finger. “Just Cameron. And I am the creator of ‘The Hollow’.” He gestured to the walls around them as if they were still in the game.

He smiled unnervingly at them, and Adam thought maybe he was waiting for praise. They sat in silence for a moment too long before Cameron cleared his throat and took off down the hall.

With no better options in sight, they continued following him. But Adam was getting some seriously weird vibes from the guy and wanted to be alone with Kai and Mira so they could talk in private.

“Are you sure we should trust this guy?” Adam whispered to Mira.

“We don’t have any other choice.” Mira responded, keeping her voice low. “Let’s just stick together and pay close attention to him.”

“What’s not to trust,” Kai cut in. “He created the game. Who else could help us get our memories back.”

Adam supposed he was right. If they wanted to retrieve their lost memories, this guy was probably their best hope.

Cameron stopped at a heavy metal door and the kids halted at his heels. Except for Kai, who wasn’t paying attention and ran into the man’s back. He laughed awkwardly and stepped away.

Adam examined the entrance before them, noticing the shiny plate above the door that read ‘Lab 1’ in bold lettering. He watched Cameron pull a translucent card from his pocket and swipe it across a little screen beside the door. The light turned green and emitted a pinging sound and the doors slid open.

“Come, come. Don’t be shy.” Cameron smiled widely at each of them as he ushered them into the room.

Adam grabbed Kai’s hand and then Mira’s, oddly anxious about being separated from them. With his memories gone, they were basically the only people he knew and could trust. Kai gave him a sheepish grin and Mira squeezed his hand reassuringly.

The three of them stepped through the open door only to be surrounded by blinding light.


	2. Mira

Mira closed her eyes against the bright, white room. The sudden onslaught of light ignited a fresh wave of nausea that roiled in her stomach. She still felt disoriented and ill from suddenly being ripped out of the game; she clutched Adam’s hand tighter to help keep her balance.

When she regained her focus, her jaw dropped in awe at the huge lab sprawling before her. Giant screens were imbedded in nearly every wall, half in use and covered in unintelligible code, and the other half glowing white with a swirling, square symbol in the center. She recognized it from Adam’s shirt.

Cameron suddenly clapped his hands together loudly. “Come along. I’ll give you the tour,” he said, motioning for them to follow him through the lab. 

Mira had never seen so much advanced technology in her life. Well, if she had, she couldn’t remember. She studied the seemingly random numbers that floated across the screens as the employees’ hands danced across the keys. She stopped when she noticed a video of her, Kai, and Adam, playing on one of the computers.

She squinted at her image running through the forest. It was strange to see herself in the game this way. She studied the way she, Kai, and Adam looked on the screen; completely the same, yet off somehow.

A hand clapped on her shoulder and pulled her away from the screen. “Come along, Mira. We have much to do,” Cameron said.

Mira sent the man a glare. She pulled out of his grip and hurried ahead of him to her friends. She didn’t want him touching her as if they were old acquaintances. Even if she had known this guy before the game, she doesn’t anymore, and right now that’s all that matters.

She glanced back to see Cameron smiling fondly at her, his eyes somber. She turned away quickly, feeling her cheeks bloom pink. That was weird. Why would she be blushing at him. She never blushed. 

She decided that it must be some weird side-affect from the game.

“What’s wrong Mira?” Kai asked. “Your face is red.” He placed a hand over her forehead, but she brushed him away.

“Nothing,” she responded nonchalantly. “Just hot.”

Mira looked down to see Kai and Adam still holding hands. She grinned before returning her attention to Cameron.

“Well,” Cameron began, “I just got word from Lab 2, and it appears that the other team is also experiencing memory loss.”

Mira exchanged a weighted look with Adam and Kai, unsure if this was good or bad news.

“Nothing to worry about,” he said, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. “We’re just going to run some tests while I contact your guardians and we’ll get everything straightened out.”

Their guardians? Mira still didn’t have even a wisp of a memory about her family. She was nervous about being reunited with them. What did they look like? Were they kind? Did she have any siblings?

“Mira?” Mira’s anxious reverie was interrupted by Cameron.

“Yes?” She responded.

“You’ll be in room two for testing.” He began to lead her into a different room, but Adam stopped them by grabbing her hand.

“No,” he exclaimed nervously. “We’re not splitting up.”

Mira took in Adam’s expression. He looked more worried than she would have expected. She wrapped her arms around him and said, “It’s okay, Adam. I’ll just be in the other room.” 

She pulled back and smiled at him, receiving a nod in response. 

Cameron handed her over to an employee and she watched as Kai and Adam were ushered into neighboring rooms. 

When the door shut, Mira took notice of the lab worker standing beside her. She was a tall, lean woman with short, black hair and coppery skin. 

“Please sit,” she asked kindly, and gestured to a cushioned chair across from a large white desk.

Mira dropped into the chair, realizing just how exhausted she was when her feet no longer had to bear her weight. The woman took the chair across from her and grinned pleasantly.

“No need to be nervous,” she started. “My name’s Taylor, and I’m just going to ask you a few questions.”

Mira nodded, but said nothing.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Mira.”

“Your full name?”

Mira looked down and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“That’s okay,” Taylor reassured, as she scribbled something down in a notebook.

This went on for about two hours. Taylor would ask a question about Mira’s life, she would shake her head, not knowing the answer, and the employee would tell her that it was alright.

By the end of it, Mira was starting to get irritated and began to snap at the woman. She didn’t mean to be rude, but she was tired and frustrated and just wanted to go home. Wherever that may be.

“Are we done yet?” she asked, arms crossed over her chest.

“Just one last question,” Taylor continued, undaunted. “Do you remember anything about Cameron from before the game?”

Mira narrowed her eyes at the odd question. Why would she ask that? Was there something she was supposed to remember about Cameron? Or something she was supposed to forget?

She gave it some thought, searching her brain for some scrap of memory about the game maker. But she came up with nothing.

“No,” she finally answered.

Taylor nodded and smiled at her. “Alright, that’s all.” She stood and opened the door.

Mira sighed in relief and pushed herself to her feet, glad to be free. She nodded at the woman as she passed through the door.

In the main lab, she heard someone yelling angrily and searched for the culprit. She spotted a short woman with long, dark hair pointing her finger at Cameron, who had his hands held out in front of him as if trying to ward off an angry animal.

Adam was standing beside the two looking extremely uncomfortable and out of place. He turned and caught Mira’s eye. He glanced back at the arguing pair before leaving them to join Mira.

“What’s going on?” she asked once he reached her. “Who is that?”

Adam ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “It’s…my mom.”

“Really?” Mira peaked over Adam’s shoulder to examine the woman. 

She could certainly see the resemblance. They had the same fluffy, brown locks and light-russet skin, her jaw square and pronounced just like Adam’s.

“Do you… remember her?” Mira asked tentatively.

Adam shook his head. “Not at all. She said my last name is Mendoza.” He glanced back at his mother before adding, “she’s threatening to sue.”

Mira figured their parents might react that way. But she was fairly certain that a big company like this would have made them sign contracts before entering the game.

“This is crazy,” Mira huffed. “I thought once we won the game, everything would go back to normal.”

“Me too,” Adam responded. “But we don’t even know what normal is.”

Mira wondered if they would ever attain normal. 

“Where’s Kai,” she asked, twisting her head to search the room.

“He’s still being interviewed.” 

Mira glanced at the closed door to Kai’s room and wondered why it was taking so long. Before she could mull it over and worry, Adam’s mother suddenly burst between them and grabbed Adam’s hand.

“Come on, Adam. We’re leaving,” his mother commanded.

Adam’s eyes grew wide as he looked to Mira for help. “I’m not leaving without Kai and Mira.” He yanked his hand away from his mother and folded his fingers around Mira’s.

“Adam, you don’t even know this girl.” She put her hands on his shoulders and looked in his eyes. “You just met.”

Mira looked at Adam. So they hadn’t known each other before. While in the game, the three had speculated about whether or not they were friends outside of ‘The Hollow.’ Now they knew the answer, and Mira wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

“Adam,” his mother began softly, “You need to get home and get some rest.” She peered over at Mira a moment. “Give your friend your phone number and let’s go.”

Phone? That’s right, Mira had a phone. She patted down her pockets and Adam did the same. They both pulled out their cell phones that they didn’t recognize and exchanged numbers that they didn’t remember. 

“What about Kai?” Adam asked, worried.

“I’ll give him your number,” Mira answered. She enfolded him in a tight hug and tried to stamp down the anxious feeling creeping up within her. 

“I’ll call you tonight, okay?” Adam reassured.

Mira nodded her head and reluctantly let him go. She watched as the woman put her arm around Adam’s shoulders and ushered him out of the room.

She sniffed, her eyes beginning to sting. She didn’t want Adam to leave and she wanted to see Kai.

After a moment, she felt a heavy hand settle on her shoulder and turned to see Cameron standing behind her.

“Would you like to know who you are?”


	3. Kai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai misses Adam. Obviously.

Kai glared at a shiny, silver clock on the wall as it ticked loudly, counting every second he had been sitting silently in the office. The little hand seemed to taunt him, moving slower and slower as it made its journey around the numbers. 

Kai’s interviewer sat in a squeaky leather desk chair across from him, typing sporadically on his keyboard and occasionally glancing up at him.

Kai had been waiting for the man to start the interview for what felt like an hour but had probably only been a few painful minutes. Kai couldn’t stop fiddling with his hands in his lap. He began turning his head about the room while making popping noises with his mouth, feeling restless.

“Uh, are we gonna start?” Kai ventured. This was the third time he asked, always receiving the same answer.

“Just a moment,” the man said, holding up his pointer finger.

Kai sighed and slumped in his chair. He had never been the patient type and still seriously had to pee. He just wanted to get this over with. 

He was starting to wonder if this was some kind of interrogation tactic to get him to reveal all his secrets. Wait, did he even have any secrets? Probably not. And if he did, he didn’t remember.

Well, except for that. But there was no way this random employee could know or even care about that.

“Alright.”

Kai sat up when the interviewer spoke.

“Sorry about that. Just needed to check over your file,” the man said, lacing his fingers and placing them atop the large desk between them.

Kai looked closely at his interviewer for the first time since entering the room. He was a tall, toned man with paper-white skin and curly, sun-bleached hair. His eyes were small, such a light grey that they were nearly the same color as his flawless skin and intensely focused on Kai’s face. He had a constant smile that somehow seemed anything but friendly.

Altogether, he just creeped Kai out.

“Let’s get started,” he said, while straightening a pile of papers and setting them aside. “I’m Jasper Cofax. You can call me Jasper.”

“I’m…” Kai began to introduce himself but was cut off.

Jasper held out a hand, palm forward. “No need for that. Everyone in the company knows who you are.”

“Why?” Kai stood a little straighter at the comment. “Am I famous or something?”

“No, no.” Jasper shook his head, amused. “We know every participant in the ‘The Hollow’. And you were particularly… entertaining.”

“Oh,” was Kai’s only response.

His slid back down in his chair, recalling every time he tripped over a rock and fell on his face or walked straight into a tree.

“I’m just going to ask you some basic questions, alright?”

Kai nodded. 

He then suffered through droves of boring questions like “What’s your full name? Where do you go to school? How old are you?” All of which he didn’t know the answers to, and it was starting to get annoying. 

It was beginning to weigh on him; the confusing reality of not even knowing your own name or age. During the game, he had felt terrified and disoriented after waking up without his memories. But he had had Adam and Mira and plenty of distractions to keep him from dwelling on it too much. 

Now Kai felt lost and alone. He just wanted this interview to be over so he could see Adam and Mira.

After nearly two hours, Kai couldn’t imagine there were any more questions to ask and hoped that they were almost done.

Jasper finished typing something on his computer and turned back to Kai.

“Do you remember me?” he asked calmly.

Kai knitted his brows. “No.” That was random? He examined the man’s face closely, searching for any signs of recognition. “Should I?”

“We met a few times before the game,” he said with a wave of his hand. “While the participants were being briefed.”

Kai nodded. He figured that even if he hadn’t lost his memories, he probably wouldn’t have recalled one random employee. But he thought it was strange that he would even ask.

“What’s your relationship with Mira?”

Kai bristled at the question. “Huh? What is this, a therapy session?” He rubbed a hand across his neck. He could feel a slight blush creeping over his cheeks.

“Just curious,” the interviewer answered, shrugging his shoulders. “You two seemed pretty close in the game.”

Kai sputtered at that. “We were just friends. I mean are, we are friends.” He rubbed his hands through his hair. “I mean, obviously she’s super cool and tough and pretty but…” Kai stopped himself before he really started to ramble. He took a deep breath. “We’re just friends.”

The man nodded and, to Kai’s annoyance, seemed to be holding back laughter.

“What about Adam?”

His face flamed at the mention of Adam. Kai certainly held a special fondness for Mira, but Adam was different. Though the two had butted heads constantly during the game, at some point they had begun to grow closer. Kai found himself stealing glances at Adam when he wasn’t looking and taking advantage of every opportunity to stay near him.

He had thought he spotted Adam staring at him too, once or twice, and even detected a bit of flirting. But he was worried that it was all in his head and Adam only cared about him as a friend.

Kai recalled earlier in the lab, when Mira had released Adam’s hand. Kai had taken the cue and tried to pull his own hand away, but Adam wouldn’t release him. He had laced his fingers through Kai’s and held on tightly. 

That must mean something, right?

Kai looked up, suddenly remembering that he had been asked a question.

“Just…friends,” he finally said, lowering his face in an attempt to hide his flushed cheeks.

The interviewer nodded slowly, as if he had just discovered something amusing. “Were you always this close with Adam and Mira? Before the game?”

Kai sighed loudly. “I don’t remember,” he exclaimed. He cocked his head at the man. “Remember?”

“Yes, I remember.” Jasper squinted his eyes at Kai. “But…you really have no memory of me?”

“No,” Kai said, exasperated. “I don’t remember anything!” He threw his hands up in frustration.

“My apologies.” The man bowed his head a moment. “That will be all.”

“Finally,” Kai huffed and nearly ran from the room into the main lab.

He searched the large space for Adam and Mira but saw neither. He was about to start poking his head into every closed door in pursuit of them when he heard a woman shriek loudly.

He turned to see a short, chubby woman running towards him. She pulled him into a fierce hug and began balling into his shoulder, soaking his shirt in seconds. He blinked wildly, startled at suddenly being tackled by a crying stranger.

He pulled away and asked, “Sorry. Who are you?”

The woman looked shocked and started crying even harder.

“Now, now Dahlia.” A tall man with suntanned skin and blonde hair put his arm around her shoulders. “Remember what they told us.”

The woman nodded. “I told you we shouldn’t have let him do this.” She sniffled and turned back to Kai.

She smiled warmly at him. “I’m your mother, Kai.” She gestured to the man beside her. “And this is your dad”

“What?” he questioned, unconsciously taking a step away.

He looked back and forth between the two, examining their faces. He didn’t recognize them at all. He knew that his memories were gone, but he had still hoped that seeing his parents in person would spark some kind of recognition. 

But it didn’t. As far as he could remember, these people were total strangers to him. 

He studied his mom’s appearance closely. She had light peachy skin, covered in little strawberry freckles that congregated on her nose, and her hair was a light auburn color, bordering on orange. 

Just like Kai.

They really did look alike. He swallowed thickly and tried to smile at the woman, but it came out looking pained.

His mother cocked her head and sighed, looking sympathetic. “It’s alright, Kai.” She patted his shoulder. “Everything will be fine. Now let’s go home and get you some sleep.”

She grabbed his hand and began to lead him towards the exit.

Kai’s eyes grew wide and he planted his feet firmly on the tile. He couldn’t go. Not without Mira and Adam.

“I’m not leaving." He wouldn’t move a step until he saw his friends. "Not until I see Adam and Mira."

“Who?” his mother questioned, looking confused.

Kai opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted by the ding and sliding sound of the main entrance doors opening. He glanced at the doorway and saw Mira step through, followed closely by the weird guy.

She swiveled her head about and stopped when she spotted Kai. She ran to him and wrapped him in a hug. He held her back, squeezing tightly and finding comfort in her gentle touch and familiar scent. 

When she pulled away, he noticed that her eyes looked red and puffy.

“What happened?” Kai questioned. He gripped her shoulders and lowered his head to look her in the eyes.

What did they do to her? It took a lot to make Mira cry. He turned an angry glare on Cameron, still waiting by the door. He would fry him if he had hurt her.

His clenched his fists at his sides, waiting to feel the warm tingling sensation, but it never came. His intense stare fell away when he realized that his flame powers were gone. Leaving him with the feeling that something was missing. Leaving him feeling helpless.

“Nothing,” Mira answered, wiping her eyes. “Just a side-affect from the game.” She waved him off with a calm smile and reached up to ruffle his hair.

Kai studied her face. She did sound fine, but he was still worried. He wondered why she had been alone with Cameron. What could they have been talking about? And where was Adam?

Kai voiced his question. “Where’s Adam?” 

Mira sighed. “He went home,” she admitted solemnly.

“What?”

“His mom came and took him home,” she answered.

His mom? How could he be gone? He didn’t even say goodbye. But they would see each other again. Right? But…he didn’t even know where Adam lived.

“He can’t be gone,” Kai whispered, turning his gaze to the floor. He had the inexplicable feeling that he wouldn’t see Adam again and felt his heart beat rapidly at the thought.

“Kai…” Mira began, but Kai cut her off.

“Mira, where did he go?” He grabbed her shoulders firmly. “We have to find him. We have to stick together.” He was starting to panic. They were all going to be separated.

“Kai.” Mira put both hands on each side of Kai’s face and fixed him with a serious look. “It’s okay. Adam’s okay. He gave me his phone number, we can talk later tonight.”

Kai nodded, feeling soothed by Mira’s conviction. She was always calm and rational when they were in the game, so it only made sense that she would be in the real world too.

“We’re going to stick together,” Mira said doubtlessly.

“Kai?”

Kai turned at the sound of his mother calling his name. She was waiting a few feet away with her hands folded before her, watching the two with a somewhat worried expression.

“It’s time to leave,” she said.

Kai looked back to Mira. She sent him a melancholy smile and he folded her into a solid hug. 

“Stick together,” he whispered into her shoulder. 

He felt her nod against him as she spoke softly. “Stick together.

 

* * * 

 

Kai peered out the window of his parent’s grey minivan as they pulled up the driveway. A large house, which he assumed was his, was surrounded by lush grass and full trees. The windows glowed from inside and bathed the yard in a warm, yellow light. The walls were a soft, robins-egg blue and little cobblestone steps led up to the front door.

The drive home from ‘The Hollow’ headquarters had been an overwhelming hour. His mother had talked nonstop, trying to jog Kai’s memories by telling him every detail of his life; his school, his hobbies, his full name. He now knew that he was Kai Stuart Evans, 16 years old. 

But still, nothing was familiar.

At some point he had just tuned her out and began staring through the open window. The sun was just beginning to set and a soft, orange light was slipping in between the buildings, painting the streets in an ethereal glow that caught the wisps of cigarette smoke from passersby. He closed his eyes as a summer breeze rustled his hair and warmed his cheeks.

As they passed through a gaggle of towering skyscrapers, they were enveloped in inky shadows that pooled in the corners of the buildings. There was boundless traffic and people wandering the streets, weighed down with shopping bags or pushing overflowing grocery carts.

His parents had informed him that they were in San Francisco, and although he couldn’t remember that he lived there, he could recall where it was on a map and details about the large city.

When he entered his home, Kai was immediately tackled by a child, about half his size, who encircled him in a big hug.

“How was it? Was it awesome? Tell me everything,” he beamed.

Kai assumed that this was the little brother his mom had mentioned, Korben, who was eight years old. Or was it nine?

He looked at the kid smiling up at him, excitedly waiting for every detail about the game. He had chubby cheeks and orange hair, just like Kai and their mom, except Korben’s had a subtle curl at the tips. His growing smile was infectious and Kai found himself grinning back.

His dad gently pulled the child away from Kai and scooped him up into his arms. “We need to tell you something before you can play with Kai, okay? Let’s go get some ice cream and talk.”

His father took Korben to another room and left Kai alone with his mom.

She smiled wistfully at him. “Do you… remember anything yet?” she asked hesitantly, wringing her hands.

He didn’t. But he didn’t want to make his mom upset. She seemed really distressed by this whole thing, understandably, and he didn’t want to make it worse. 

So, he lied. “Uh, yeah. A little bit.” He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck and avoided eye contact.

“Really!” She clasped her hands together and gave a joyful little laugh. “Good.” She grabbed his hand in both of hers. “Come with me. I’ll show you your room.”

He followed her up a winding staircase that seemed unnecessarily large. He noticed framed photos hanging on the wall and studied them as they passed. Pictures of him smiling joyfully with his little brother on the beach, classically awkward school photos, and his whole family gathered in front of Disneyland.

From what he could see, he had a pretty good life.

“Here it is.” His mother gestured through an open door to a large room, cluttered and messy. 

He stepped through the door and slowly wandered the open space. A curved flat-screen hung on a wall, gaming systems piled beneath it. A desk sat beneath a darkened window, covered in random gears, a disassembled film camera, and ink-smeared schematics. He looked up at the walls, covered in mismatched posters; colorful superheroes, a NASA poster, and spaceship blueprints.

He stopped by a huge poster of ‘The Human Torch’ above his bed, his body entirely engulfed in red-hot flames as he shot through a city filled with glittering with lights.

“He was always your favorite.”

Kai turned back to see his mother watching him from the doorway, smiling fondly.

“You were a bit of a pyro as a kid.” She chuckled to herself. "We had to hide the matches from you."

Kai laughed and glanced at the poster again. No wonder he had picked fire for his power in the game.

“I’ll leave you alone for a bit,” his mother said. She patted his shoulder before closing the door behind him.

Kai sighed and flopped onto his plush bed. As kind as his parents seemed to be, he was relieved to finally have a moment alone to try and process everything.

He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and held the glowing screen above his head. Mira had exchanged numbers with him just before he left. He stared at his newest contacts; Adam and Mira.

He tapped on Adam’s number and wondered if he should text him. Or maybe call; it would be nice to hear his voice. 

It had only been a few hours since he had separated from Adam, yet he already missed him. He really wanted to see his face; hold his hand.

Just as he was imagining Adam’s smile, his phone rang loudly, startling him from his daydream. He fumbled with the phone in his hands and dropped it on his face. After cursing a few times, he snatched the phone up and checked the caller.

It was Adam.

Kai laughed outloud at the coincidence and immediately answered the phone.

He held it to his ear and said, “Hello,” feigning nonchalance.

“Kai. Hey.” Adam sounded relieved.

“Hey,” he responded lamely. So much had happened in only a few hours that he had no idea what to say.

“Big day, huh?” Adam said, laughing a little.

“No kidding,” Kai agreed, dropping back onto his bed and letting his head sink into the fluffy pillow.

“Are you home?”

“Yeah,” he answered. He glanced at the clutter around his room. “And apparently, I’m a huge nerd.”

Adam huffed an amused laugh. “Yeah, that’s not really a surprise.”

Kai noticed Adam’s voice sounded different over the phone. Softer, breathier. It was kind of calming.

“Is it weird?” Adam asked.

“What?” For a moment, Kai thought Adam was asking if his voice sounded weird, but that didn’t make any sense. Unless Adam could suddenly read his thoughts.

“Your house? Your parents?” he confirmed.

“Oh. Yeah, it’s pretty weird.” He rubbed a hand across his forehead, not sure where to begin. “My parents are really nice, and I have a little brother. They both look exactly like me. My house is huge, I have a ton of video games and comic books. There’s a giant swimming pool in the backyard and everything seems great. But it’s still…”

“Weird,” Adam finished.

“Exactly,” Kai agreed. “What about you?”

Kai heard Adam exhale a long sigh over the phone.

“Well, I’m an only child, I’m seventeen, and my last name is Mendoza.”

“What about…your parents,” Kai ventured.

“It’s just me and my mom.” He paused for a moment. “She seems really cool, but I still don’t remember her at all.” He sighed quietly. “It’s so bizarre. Being told who your family is, how old you are, where you live, and not remembering any of it.”

Kai completely understood. It felt so surreal, being in a house that he had lived in for years, talking to his family that he’d known his whole life and not being able to recall any of it. He felt like a stranger in his own life.

“Adam?” Kai asked.

“Yeah.”

“Do you think we’ll ever get our memories back?”

There was a heavy pause before he answered. “I don’t know. But even if we don’t, we have each other, and we have Mira.”

Kai nodded, even though he knew Adam couldn’t see it.

“What happened with Mira? Did she go home with her parents?” Adam asked.

“I don’t know. She was still alone when I left. Do you think she’s okay?”

“Yeah. She’s tough. But I’m gonna call her next.”

They stayed in companionable silence for a moment before Kai spoke again.

“Adam?”

“Yeah, Kai.” Adam responded.

“I miss you.” 

Kai had mustered up all his courage to say it. He was worried that Adam would just laugh it off, tell him not to be a baby. 

But he didn’t.

“I miss you too,” Adam whispered in earnest.

Kai smiled. He turned his face into his pillow and tried not to laugh with joy. It was such a small thing, but it made him so happy. Maybe he really was falling for Adam.

Kai could feel his eyes closing, his lack of sleep weighing heavily on him. It felt like he hadn’t slept in days, he couldn’t manage to stay conscious no matter how hard he tried.

Just before falling asleep, he mumbled a quiet goodnight to Adam.

Adam’s voice was the last thing he heard before giving in to the pull of sleep.

“Sweet dreams, Kai.”


	4. Mira

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mira discovers a lot about herself from The Weird Guy.

Mira followed Cameron into his office. It was nestled in a corner of the huge skyscraper, the walls comprised of shining floor-to-ceiling windows. She marveled at the sheer size of the massive space.

The décor was sleek and modern, mostly black and white with random splashes of emerald green. A huge flat-screen hung on the wall above a long, square sofa; flanked by matching armchairs. An oversized desk sat in the center of the room, multiple computer screens and tablets crowding the surface. 

She took particular notice of a little plaque sitting at the front of the desk that read, Cameron CEO.

Wow.

Mira couldn’t help but be a little impressed. This guy was loaded. She wondered just how popular this game was? And how the heck did she become a participant?

“Let’s sit, shall we?” Cameron said casually.

He gestured to his plush couch and placed his hand on the small of Mira’s back to lead her. She pulled away and hurried ahead of him, planting herself in the center of the large sofa with arms crossed.

Cameron followed behind her coolly and lowered himself to sit right beside her on the cushion.

Mira calmly stood and moved to one of the armchairs, but Cameron only snickered and slid along the couch until he was nearer to her.

What was with this guy? Was he purposefully trying to bother her, or did he just have boundary issues?

“Well, what would you like to know first?” Cameron asked. He reached up and removed his red-tinted sunglasses, folding them and placing them on the glass coffee table between them.

When he looked back up, Mira realized that this was the first time she had seen him without his glasses. His eyes were a shocking cobalt, wreathed with blonde lashes that stood out starkly against his sun-tanned skin.

Mira focused on a little birthmark that sat at the corner of his right eye, a few shades lighter than his skin. She cocked her head to get a better look. She thought it almost appeared like a tiny goldfish with its tail curving around his eye, as if it had just jumped from his lake-blue irises.

He was unexpectedly beautiful. But what was the most startling was the way he looked at her, as if he knew her.

She studied the weaving pattern of the fabric beneath her legs to avoid the intensity of his stare, and finally remembered that he had asked her a question.

What did she want to know? Everything. But she had no idea what to ask first. 

Mira figured she should probably start with the basics and settled on an easy question.

“What’s my name?”

“Mira Perera,” Cameron answered. He knitted his fingers and placed them over his crossed legs. “You never told me your middle name.”

Perera. She repeated the name in her head, but it didn’t sound familiar.

“How old am I?” she continued.

“Sixteen.”

“When’s my birthday?”

“October 22nd.”

Mira mulled over this new information. It was strange to not know any of this when someone else did, but none of these facts were exactly mind-blowing. Really, she was just using them to avoid the question she was most afraid to ask.

Mira glanced at Cameron. He was watching her, waiting patiently for her to continue.

She gulped and steeled her resolve. “Where are my parents?”

It hadn’t escaped Mira’s attention that no one had showed up to take her home. No parents. No guardian.

This actually seemed to shake Cameron. His ever-present smile dropped away and he broke eye contact.

“I don’t know,” he stated quietly. “I never met them.”

“Then who is my guardian?” she asked, pushing a strand of hair out of her face.

Cameron fixed her with an intense stare. “I am,” he said simply.

She huffed an incredulous laugh. “You’re kidding, right?” 

There’s no way that could be true. He must have been messing with her.

But Cameron didn’t laugh. His expression remained serious. 

Mira’s humor was extinguished by the gravity of his gaze. “Right?” she asked again.

He didn’t answer, but Mira could tell he wasn’t kidding. She raked her fingers through her hair, shaking her head in disbelief. How could this be? Could she really believe him? With her memories gone, he could tell her almost anything he wanted and she would have no way to disprove it.

She locked eyes with Cameron. She wouldn’t except this until she got him to elucidate.

“Explain?” she pressed.

Cameron leaned back in his seat and blew out a long breath, as if preparing to embark on a strenuous voyage.

“About a month ago,” he began, “You showed up here, at ‘The Hollow’ headquarters, and demanded to speak with the person in charge.” He smiled at her mischievously. “Of course, I denied your request. I am a busy man after all.” He gestured around the room, like that should prove his point. “I didn’t have time to meet with some random kid off the street.” He chuckled to himself, looking as if he was lost in a fond memory. “But you were persistent.”

Mira couldn’t help but be fixated by his open and reminiscent expression. So different from the usual loud and boisterous demeanor she had just begun to recognize.

“You came back every day for a week,” he continued. “We even called security to drag you out once or twice.” He started to chuckle lightly until it morphed into uproarious laughter. 

Mira sent him a spiteful glare. When he noticed, he stopped immediately; straightened his scarf, and cleared his throat before continuing. 

“Anyway. While this was going on, I received occasional updates about the crazy girl who kept trespassing in the office.” He sent her a playful look. “Originally, I didn’t give it a second thought, but after your relentless persistence, I became curious. About who you were, and why you were so desperate to speak to me.”

Mira was curious about that too. What could have been so urgent that she came here every day for a week? Why had she been so adamant about meeting Cameron?

Something told Mira that she wasn’t going to like the answer.

Cameron ran a hand through his hair, mussing the blonde curls and releasing the locks from their slicked-back style.

Mira observed that he was looking more and more casual the longer they spoke. With his glasses removed and hair loose, he almost looked like a different person.

“One night,” he began. “While working late in my office, I looked out the window and spotted someone in front of the building. It was pouring outside, and it had been for hours. Yet, here was this girl, long black hair, sitting on the ground with knees pulled up to her chest, just letting the rain soak her completely.” He looked at Mira and grinned. “It was you of course, wearing nothing but a T-shirt and jeans; shivering in the rain,” he mused, pausing a moment.

Mira twisted the ends of her hair absentmindedly, trying to imagine the events Cameron was relaying. But it felt like he was talking about a stranger, not her.

“I couldn’t believe anyone would be so determined as to wait in the cold rain all night, just to see me. So I grabbed an umbrella and went outside to meet you. You jumped to your feet the moment you saw me. I assume you recognized me on sight. Nearly everyone in the country knows my face,” he mentioned haughtily. “The technology used in ‘The Hollow’ is groundbreaking. People from all over were flocking here, to Silicon Valley, to try and win the opportunity to participate in the trial run. We set up a system that let anyone enter, and under certain criteria, the lucky six would be chosen.

“You told me you came here to be in the game. But you couldn’t enter the draw. You see, minors were required to get permission from a guardian to participate, but you weren’t able to obtain that.”

Mira found herself leaning forward in her chair in anticipation of what Cameron would say next. She wanted to know more about how she ended up here and resisted the urge to tell him to talk faster.

“At the time I was…intrigued,” he began again. “I never imagined anyone would be so desperate to take part in the game I created. I was quite flattered,” he announced boastfully, straitening his crimson blazer. “So, I agreed to listen to your story. I showed you to my office, this office.” He gestured around them. “So we could have a discussion out of the rain.

“Sitting on the very chair you sit now, you told me why you had come here. You said that you had never met your biological parents; had no idea who they were or if they were even alive. You had been passed around the foster system your whole life.” 

Cameron’s voice had gotten softer with the shift in conversation, his eyes never straying from Mira’s.

“You hated it,” he stated harshly. “You hated your life. When you heard about ‘The Hollow’, you thought it was your chance to escape. A chance to experience a new life. A new world. To forget everything, even if it was just for a few hours.” He huffed a humorless laugh. “Although, it turned out to be longer than that.”

He finally broke eye contact with Mira. She thought he almost looked…guilty.

“Anyway.” He continued his recount without skipping a beat. “After we talked it over, I agreed to let you be in the game. But,” he said, holding up his pointer finger. “The problem still stood. You needed a signature from a guardian.”

Mira narrowed her eyes at him, pretty certain she knew what he was about to say.

“So, on a whim, I decided to assume guardianship of you,” he finished with a proud smile.

Mira didn’t know what to say. Should she be grateful that he did that for her? Or be suspicious about what true motives he could be hiding? Would someone really do that for a stranger, just out of the kindness of their heart?

“Let me get this straight,” Mira began. “So,” she pointed to her chest. “I, some random kid off the street, asked to be in the game? And as a result, you adopted me?” she questioned, incredulous.

“Yep,” Cameron responded, as if it had been the most obvious choice.

Mira shook her head with eyebrows raised. “You’re just as crazy in real life as you were in the game.”

“Thank you.” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “It comes naturally.”

Mira decided to just breeze past that.

“So, what now,” she questioned, feeling uneasy about learning the answer. “Don’t tell me I… live with you,” she inquired, eyes wide.

“Well of course,” he chuckled. “Where else would you live?”

Mira blinked rapidly, trying to process that. “That’s crazy. Why would I just move in with a total stranger?”

“Because you had no where else to go,” Cameron answered seriously.

“What do you mean?” she asked slowly.

“You ran away from your foster parents, you didn’t have any money, and you had nowhere to live.”

She had run away? Was her life really so bad that she would run away from home just to be in ‘The Hollow’?

“There really shouldn’t be a problem,” Cameron stated without concern. “You’ve already been living at my home for a month.”

“A month?” Mira exclaimed in disbelief.

She ran her hands through her hair. Yep, it was official. She was crazy.

“Well then,” Cameron said, standing from the couch. “Shall we go?”

“Go where?” Mira uttered.

“My home, of course,” Cameron declared. He smoothed out the fabric of his blazer before heading to the door.

“What? No, no, no.” She shook her head vigorously.

Cameron walked back to where Mira was sitting, his expression blank. “Where will you go?” he questioned calmly.

Mira looked down at her hands fisted in her lap. “I don’t know,” she mumbled softly.

Cameron extended his hand, palm up, towards her. “Come with me,” he asserted.

Mira looked from his amiable expression, the corners of lips barely curving up, to his offered hand.

She sighed and stood from her chair. She really must be crazy.

Mira placed her hand in his, and with it, her trust.

 

***

 

The shiny elevator doors slid open to reveal and enormous penthouse, glowing with natural light that filtered through the floor to ceiling windows. Mira gaped at the sight, disbelieving that she had lived amongst such luxury for a month.

Cameron stood beside her in the elevator, seeming to find pleasure in Mira’s astonishment. He gestured through the open door for her to enter. She sent him a guarded look before stepping into the opulent space.

The furniture and walls exuded an air of simplicity, but it was clear every piece of décor was expensive and deliberate. White walls were decorated with precisely placed artwork. Framed canvases were hanging, nearly six feet long, spattered with light-blue and seafoam watercolors. The furniture was a minimalist style with long, square couches, void of color and sitting atop dark, polished wood floors.

It really was amazing.

After the ride from ‘The Hollow’ headquarters in Cameron’s ridiculously expensive Tesla, the two had taken a private elevator directly to the top floor of a giant apartment complex. Cameron hadn’t said much on the ride over, and Mira had stayed completely silent during the trip.

Mira felt Cameron’s eyes on her as she wandered about the room and glanced his way. He was beside the elevator, studying her with his head cocked slightly. She ignored him and continued her exploration.

As she took in the sight of everything in the apartment, she noticed that there was nothing personal about the place. No photographs of friends or family, no quirky little touches, not even a stray article of clothing left lying around. It didn’t feel lived in at all. 

Mira thought it seemed quite lonely.

She turned when Cameron cleared his throat.

“Would you like to see your room?” he asked, his voice ringing cheerfully.

She had her own room? Mira hadn’t thought of that, but she guessed it made sense if she had already been living there for a month.

She nodded. “Sure.”

Cameron smiled at her and gestured to a staircase leading to the second story. “Follow me.”

The second floor was much smaller than the first. There was merely a small, open library at the top of the steps and two closed doors flanking the sitting area. 

Cameron opened the door on the left and stepped aside for Mira to enter. She glanced at him, his expression looking oddly delighted, before she peeked into the room.

She was taken aback by what she saw.

The room was the absolute opposite of the rest of the house. The floor was partially covered by a fluffy, white rug that matched a set of fuzzy pillows on the bed, which was huge, and boasted a cushy polka-dot duvet. Black and white photographs of forests and rivers were hanging from ballerina-pink walls. A giant chandelier, glittering with little crystalline droplets, hung from the center of the ceiling and sent tiny, prismatic rainbows around the room.

All-in-all, it was overwhelming and not her style.

But it did look a bit more like someone actually lived there. The bed covers were ruffled and messy, a desk against the wall had open books and loose papers scattered across it, and there was a jacket and a pair of mangled, black boots at the foot of her bed.

Seeing those little traces of her around the room made the fact that she had stayed here really start to sink in. She had still been skeptical about whether or not Cameron had been telling the truth, but now she was starting to believe what he had said.

She glanced at Cameron and then back at the excessive amount of pink and stereotypical teen decor.

“You decorated it didn’t you?” she theorized, attempting to hide her dislike.

“Well, I hired someone to do that,” he answered, with a wave of his hand. “But, yes. I did pick out the style.”

“It shows,” Mira mumbled to herself.

She ran her fingers over one of the open books on the desk and picked it up to examine the contents. The cover was worn and read Animal Wise, with a photo of a monkey beneath. She set the book down and noticed the pile of messy papers. She looked closer to see a myriad of little sketches; flowers and trees, birds and fish, all labeled and dated. 

She must really be a nature lover, which explains her choice of power in the game.

Mira turned back to see Cameron leaning casually in the open doorway, still just staring at her.

Logically, she knew that Cameron had done something extremely generous; allowing her to participate in the game, letting her live in his house, and even assuming legal responsibility for her. But she still couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable around him and wanted some time alone.

Mira sighed before approaching Cameron.

“Listen,” she began. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But right now, I don’t remember any of it, and I don’t remember you.” She clutched her fingers awkwardly. “So, could I just be alone for a while.”

She was a bit worried she would upset him, but he just nodded his head casually and said, “Of course.”

But he made no move to leave. Mira waited for a moment before adding, “Now?”

His eyes grew wide as if just realizing something. “Oh, right,” he blurted. “That makes sense.” He straightened his scarf and turned to Mira, opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. “Well then, I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

Mira just nodded and gave him a subtle smile before shutting the door.

She leaned her back against the closed door and blew out a long sigh.

“I hate pink,” she muttered to herself, looking at the blasphemous color that surrounded her.

Now that she was alone, Mira decided to explore a bit more in depth. She opened a door to find a glamorous bathroom with a shiny porcelain tub and a shower, with a rainfall shower head, blocked in by a glass door. 

Mira suddenly had the intense urge to take a warm shower, sleep for the rest of the day, and not have to think about any of this mess. But she wanted to get a better handle on her surroundings first. Besides, she probably wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her situation long enough to fall asleep.

She opened the next door to find a huge walk-in closet, filled with racks of clothes that looked far too expensive to have belonged to her. She pulled a few dresses out and grimaced at the girly abominations. She was certain Cameron had picked these out. 

She put the clothes back and spotted a dirty backpack nestled into a corner. Her eyes lit up. Now, that must have belonged to her. She dropped to the floor beside the bag and pulled it onto her lap. She zipped it open and began riffling inside.

There wasn’t much there. A few wrinkled t-shirts, a pair of ripped jeans, some balled up socks. Mira frowned when she emptied the bag. She was hoping to find some sort of clues to her past, but there was nothing but a few random necessities.

She shook the bag around and felt something jangle inside. She shoved her hand back in and felt around the lining of the bag. Her fingers snagged on a rip in the lining, she reached in and closed her fingers around a little square of leather. 

It was a wallet. She turned the little thing over in her hands, the dark, worn leather feeling cool against her fingertips. She opened it and pulled out a five-dollar bill and a couple of quarters. She smiled when she discovered an ID. Her picture looked basically the same, except without the blue streaks. The info about her age and birthday that Cameron had told her was all accurate.

But there was nothing else. No photos. No clues.

She sighed in disappointment, left the closet, and crossed he room.

Mira opened the sliding glass door that led to a deck attached to her room. She leaned her elbows on the railing and admired the view.

Was she really going to live here? She felt super weird about it but what other choice did she have? Maybe she should ask Adam.

Just then her phone buzzed in her pocket. She grabbed it and saw a text from Adam. She chuckled. He always had great timing. 

"Are you okay?" was all it said.

Was she? She figured she was handling things pretty well considering the circumstances. She hadn’t had a meltdown or anything.

She started to type out a response telling him everything about Cameron and her bizarre relationship with him, but then stopped.

Should she really tell him about that? All it would do is make him worry about her even more. It hadn’t escaped her attention, the toll it took on Adam having her and Kai rely on him so much. Maybe she should just figure things out on her own for once.

She looked up and saw a little yellow bird perched on the railing beside her.

“Hello. What do you think I should do?” she joked.

The bird hopped towards her, flapped its wings and jumped onto Mira’s arm.

She gasped, surprised. Usually birds, or animals in general, were too wary of humans to get this close. She wondered if there was something wrong with it.

“You aren’t afraid of me?” she questioned.

The bird cocked its head as if to say, “Why would I be?”

She smiled at the little creature before it flew away.

Mira glanced at the message from Adam again. Her fingers tapped on the screen and she clicked send.

"I’m doing good," it read.

This was okay. She could handle things on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos!! You're all so sweet and it really helps keep me motivated to write. Plus it just always makes my day!! Stay tuned for some upcoming Adam/Kai fluff!!


	5. Adam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam has nightmares and runs to Kai for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so i'm sure nobody thought I would ever update this story after so long, but here I am. I don't know what happened, I just got super busy with work and classes and im a lazy butt sooo. Anyway, I was struck with a random bout of motivation after classes ended and cranked out a few chapters. Hopefully it's not total crap and hopefully someone out there still has some interest in reading this story. Also thank you so much to everyone who left comments and kudos, it really means a lot to me!

The drive to Adam’s house had been quiet. His mom didn’t say anything other than mumbling a few curses at other drivers, and Adam had so many questions about himself that he didn’t know where to begin, nor did he want to break the angry silence between him and this woman who he was supposed to call mom.

They pulled into a cracked driveway and Adam peered out the window at his home. It was small and humble but still looked nice and well-kept with a small row of poppies lining the yard. 

They parked the car and Adam followed his mom inside. The door closed behind them and he looked around the dark, foreign room. His mom dropped her keys in a bowl beside the door and began shuffling about, flicking on orange lamps.

“Well, I know it’s not much, but it’s home,” his mom said. “You’ve lived here your whole life.”

Adam just nodded. He started meandering around the small space. The furniture seemed well-used and simple, nothing like the glamorous tech and sleek rooms at ‘The Hollow.’ But he didn’t mind. Adam much preferred this comfortable and cozy little house.

He stopped at a shelf filled with framed photographs; himself as a baby, a kid, a preteen and all the way to the current time. It was strange and uncomfortable to see the documentation of his own life and still not remember any of it. 

Adam picked up a photo of himself and his mom, her arms wrapped around him while they both smiled happily. He scanned through all the other pictures and realized that they were all only him and his mom. No siblings. No dad. He wondered if he ever had a dad in his life or if it had always been just him and his mom. 

Adam thought about asking his mom but then decided against it. He was afraid she would tell him something awful about his absent father. And right now, he couldn’t handle any more bad news.

“You always got mad when I tried to take your picture,” Adam’s mom said.

Adam turned around to see her standing behind him, her smile fond yet solemn. She took the photo from his hand and brushed her fingers down the frame.

“And yet, you still smiled like the sun when I took the photo,” she whispered. She directed her words at the picture frame, like she was talking to the past.

Adam didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say. He could tell that his mom loved him a lot, but he didn’t know how to react when he couldn’t even remember her first name. He just mustered up a solemn smile for her.

“Let me show you your room,” she said. She gestured for him to follow her to the end of a short hallway.

She stopped in front of the door but didn’t open it.

“You don’t like me going in your room,” she said as way of explanation.

“Oh,” was all Adam said.

His mom looked at her watch and muttered a curse under her breath.

“I hate to do this, but I need to get to work,” she said. “Will you be okay?”

Adam nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

He actually didn’t feel so fine, but he didn’t want to make things more difficult for her. 

Adam’s mom told him where to find food, how to call her at work, and then brushed her fingers through his curly hair before leaving him.

After hearing the front door click shut, Adam turned the knob to his door and slowly pushed it open. He felt inexplicably nervous, somehow afraid that he’d discover something awful about himself in the room. 

He shook his head and went inside. He couldn’t let himself be afraid of stupid little things like that. He needed to stay strong.

His room was relatively normal at first glance, if a bit messy. There were a couple skateboards leaned against one wall, an old tv with an X-box and a stack of video games, and a copious amount of sweatshirts littering the floor.

He noticed a hole in one of the walls and rubbed his hand over the crumbling drywall. He clenched his hand into a fist and slowly pressed it to the opening. It was a perfect fit. He brushed his fingers through his hair and wondered if he had had anger issues.

He decided to ignore that for now and picked up one of the sweatshirts from off the floor, he ran his fingers over the soft, worn fabric before pulling it over his head. It carried the same scent that he had noticed wafted about him, which was familiar and oddly comforting.

Adam lowered himself onto the edge of his bed and the moment his feet left the floor he realized just how exhausted he was. He fell back onto the mattress, letting his head sink into his lumpy pillow. It was the most comfortable thing he had felt since waking up in the game. 

Although it had been a simulation, Adam still remembered the discomfort and fitful sleep he got from spending the nights on the cold ground or in abandoned buildings. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to curl up under the covers and sleep for days, forget about the mess that was his life and just sink into a dreamless sleep.

The moment his eyes began to close he heard a little pinging sound emanating from his pants pocket. He pulled out his phone and saw a new message from Mira. He sat straight up when he saw she had sent him a new contact. It was Kai’s number.

Adam smiled down at his glowing screen. Somehow, in his tired and confused state, he had forgotten to check up on the two of them. He felt an immediate sense of guilt flow through him. How could he have gotten so wrapped up in himself that he forgot to make sure his friends were alright.

He looked at the screen again and pressed Kai’s number without hesitation. In the few moments it took for Kai to answer, Adam actually found himself getting a bit nervous. 

He already knew that he had a crush on Kai, but he wasn’t sure if Kai felt the same. At times during the game it had felt like he returned Adam’s affection, but it also seemed like Kai developed a crush on just about every cute girl he saw. Adam didn’t even know if Kai liked guys or not.

When Kai finally answered and Adam heard him breathe a light hello over the phone, all of his worries seemed to fade away. He loved Kai’s voice. Loved how it was playful and sort of scratchy and how he always talked just a little too loud. The sound made Adam smile to himself.

“Kai. Hey,” Adam said. He wondered if Kai could hear the relief in his voice when he said his name. Wondered if he could tell that Adam’s lips were pulled into a huge smile just by the way he spoke. He wondered if Kai was happy to hear from him.

Adam wasn’t really sure what to say after every bizarre thing they had experienced that day, but he soon just fell into a normal flow of conversation, feeling comfortable with Kai. They talked about how weird everything was and how they didn’t know if their lives would ever get back to normal and how they didn’t even know what normal was.

It was scary talking about their bleak reality, but it was also comforting for Adam to know that he wasn’t alone in this. He wasn’t the only one who felt this way. He had Kai and Mira who both knew exactly what he was going through.

They were both quiet for a moment. Adam could hear Kai’s soft breathing over the phone and he wondered what Kai was doing, if he was laying in bed too, nearly falling asleep.

“I miss you.”

Adam couldn’t hold back his smile. He was glad he was alone because he was probably making a very embarrassing expression after hearing Kai’s words. He wanted to be with Kai right then. After being together almost 24/7 during the game it was kind of hard being separated. 

“I miss you too,” Adam said back. 

He almost thought he heard Kai giggle softly on the other end of the phone and he smiled at the thought. Adam could hear Kai’s breathing getting softer and evening out. He could tell the other boy was falling asleep, but Adam was content to just listen to his quiet exhales through the phone nestled beside his ear.

Kai mumbled a sleepy goodnight that gave Adam goosebumps.

“Sweet dreams,” Adam said.

He texted Mira to make sure she was okay before he too, fell into a much-needed slumber.

 

*.*.*.*.*

 

Adam couldn’t breathe. His limbs felt heavy as he pushed against a cold current. There was nothing but water around him, dark-blue and unforgiving. Then he saw her. Mira sinking faster and faster beneath him, her black hair flowing around her face like deadly serpents. 

Adam’s lungs ached for air and it felt like his eyes might pop from their sockets, but he kept swimming. But no matter how hard he pushed his muscles, Mira’s body just kept drifting further and further away. He wasn’t going to make it. He saw her breath gasp out of her lungs and her eyes roll and he knew he wasn’t going to make it.

He let out a silent, bubbling scream and suddenly he was crashing onto solid ground. He was surrounded by trees and dirt. He was looking over the edge of a cliff that ended in a river and sharp craggy rocks that could easily rip a person’s body to shreds and sweep them away in the rushing current.

And then he saw Kai, falling and flailing his limbs and screaming for help. Screaming Adam’s name as he plummeted to the earth below them. Adam reached out to him even though he knew it was too late. And he saw it. He saw Kai’s body meet the ground. Saw him crumple and splatter all over the rocks and trees in a mangled mess of limbs and auburn hair.

Somehow Adam could still see Kai’s mouth moving, still hear him calling out his name through the blood pooling in his mouth and staining his teeth red.

Adam jolted awake with a scream caught in his throat. He dug his fingers into the sheets beneath him and tried to catch his breath. He was panting and sweating like he had just run a marathon, his heart pounding painfully against his ribs.

“It’s not real. It’s not real.” He repeated the phrase like a mantra that could protect him from his nightmares, his clammy fingers knitted through his hair. But when he blinked, he could still see Kai’s mutilated face staring up at him.

He needed to see Kai in person, whole and unbroken and blood-free. Right then.

He grappled for his phone in the dark. It was a little after one in the morning, but Adam didn’t care. He needed to know Kai was okay. Needed to hear his voice and see him and touch him in person.

He started texting Kai.

Adam: Kai? Are you awake?

Adam waited a few painfully-long minutes before Kai’s response came.

Kai: I am now. What’s wrong?

Adam: Where are you?

Kai: At home.

Adam: Tell me the address.

Kai: Adam what’s going on?

Adam: Please just tell me. I need to see you.

Adam pulled on a pair of boots and rushed out the door after Kai sent the address. He remembered seeing an old truck out front and thanked no one in particular when he found a pair of old Ford keys by the front door.

Once he got in the front seat, he realized he wasn’t even sure if he knew how to drive. In what he thought was probably a stupid and rash decision he decided to just wing it. But after turning on the engine, his body seemed to move on instinct. The muscle memory kicked in and he easily maneuvered his way out of the driveway and down the street.

He was positive he wouldn’t have been able to navigate the roads without his phone, and even with it, he still got turned around once or twice. He managed to make it to Kai’s house in about 20 minutes, glad that their homes hadn’t been located too far apart.

Adam still felt a little shaky from the remnants of his nightmare as he parked and got out of the car. In other circumstances, he would have been in awe of Kai’s castle-sized house, but right then all he could think about was seeing Kai whole and in one piece.

When he started up the pathway Adam spotted Kai sitting on the front steps leading to his house. Kai stood when he saw him. Adam called Kai’s name and ran to him. Without hesitation, he wrapped Kai in a fierce hug, burying his face in his thin shoulder.

“Adam, what’s wrong?”

Adam shook his head against Kai, not lifting his face. Kai returned the hug hesitantly, unsure of himself at first, but in seeing how distraught Adam was, he found the courage to hold him tightly and rub soothing circles over his back.

They both ended up sitting on the cold steps with their arms around each other. Kai stayed silent, waiting patiently for Adam to tell him what was wrong once he was ready. After a few minutes Adam took a heavy breath.

“I saw you die,” Adam whispered against the fabric of Kai’s shirt.

“What?”

Adam finally lifted his head. He swallowed thickly and met Kai’s eyes.

“I dreamt about seeing you and Mira die. I saw you both die and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Adam, it was just a dream. Me and Mira are okay.” Kai kept one hand on Adam’s back, softly stroking down his spine.

“But it wasn’t just a dream,” Adam said, his voice tinted with an angry sort of frustration. “It happened in the game and I wasn’t able to protect you guys.”

“Adam that wasn’t real eith…”

“But it was,” Adam burst, cutting him off mid-sentence. “It was real. If you had died in the game, you would have died for real and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Adam dropped his head into his hands feeling helpless and embarrassed.

“Adam,” Kai said. He waited until Adam looked up at him to continue. “I know how you feel. I saw you die too, remember? You were completely frozen and I thought you were never going to wake up. Even with my powers I still couldn’t make you warm enough. I felt terrified and helpless and like I had failed you.” Kai paused and brushed a hand through his hair nervously. He never really knew what to say in situations like that. “But it’s not just your responsibility to take care of us. We take care of each other. We’re a team.”

As Adam listened to Kai talk, he felt himself getting calmer. Kai was right in front of him. He was okay. And the way his hand was traveling up and down his back was soothing and helped ground him to the moment.

He knew Kai was right. They were a team. Adam’s fears weren’t completely assuaged but he did feel a lot better.

“Thanks Kai.” Adam gave a light smile and looked over to his friend. “I never thought you would have such a way with words.”

Kai stuck his tongue out at the back-handed compliment and they both laughed like nothing had been wrong. And to Adam, Kai’s laugh sounded like the most beautiful thing in the world. He stared at Kai fondly, counting all the little freckles on his face and wondering how it would feel to press his fingers to each little freckle.

Kai caught him staring. “What?”

“Nothing.” Adam shrugged. “I was just thinking that you have a cute laugh.”

Kai’s eyes grew wide at the comment. He blushed furiously and looked away.

Adam was afraid that he had crossed a line and made Kai uncomfortable, but then he noticed the tiniest smile creeping across Kai’s face and he felt a bit more encouraged. Maybe Kai did like him. Maybe a little.

A gust of wind pushed the chilly air through the gaps in Adam’s sweatshirt and he pulled it tighter around himself. He looked at Kai and realized he was barefoot, wearing nothing more than a pair of pajama pants and a thin t-shirt.

“Aren’t you cold?” Adam asked.

Kai looked at him quizzically as if that was an odd question. He shook his head.

“Really? It’s like 40 degrees out here.” 

Adam reached over and set his hand on Kai’s bare arm. He let out a small gasp and knitted his brows. Kai’s skin seemed to hum beneath Adam’s fingers with an unnatural heat.

“Kai, you’re burning up.” Adam reached his hand up and pushed Kai’s hair back. He pressed his palm flat against Kai’s forehead to try and gauge his temperature. “I think you have a fever,” he said worriedly. 

Kai just chuckled. “Adam, I feel fine. You worry too much.”

Kai grabbed Adam’s wrist and gently pulled his palm away from his forehead. When he tried to draw his hand back, Adam wouldn’t let him and gripped on tightly. He weaved his large fingers through Kai’s smaller ones and let their intertwined hands settle on the cold ground between them.

Kai looked at Adam with a shocked expression, his pale face growing redder by the second. He looked away quickly, but Adam suspected it was just because Kai was shy and not because he didn’t like what was happening. At least he hoped.

“Is this okay?” Adam whispered. He really didn’t want to make Kai uncomfortable but he was also having a hard time keeping his hands off of his adorable crush.

Kai gave a small nod, making Adam smile. He noticed that Kai’s ears were tinted pink by his aggressive blushing and wondered how it would feel to press his lips to the little hollow beneath Kai’s ear. To trace little constellations out of his freckles. To twist his hands in Kai’s auburn locks. And suddenly Adam found himself blushing right alongside Kai.

Adam was jerked from his less-than-pure thoughts when he felt Kai lean against him. He settled his cheek on Adam’s shoulder and Adam was pretty sure he could feel the vibrations of Kai’s heartbeat traveling between their bodies.

“This is scary,” Kai whispered.

Adam wasn’t sure if he meant what was happening between them right then, or the whole situation with ‘The Hollow’ and their lost memories, or both. But it didn’t matter. Either way his response would be the same.

“Yeah. It is scary.”

They stayed like that for nearly an hour, Kai dozing on Adam’s shoulder while Adam brushed his free hand through Kai’s auburn locks. Adam was completely unbothered by the early morning chill with Kai’s feverish body so close, warm skin bleeding straight through his sweatshirt.

When Kai fell completely asleep and nearly dropped his head to the ground, Adam roused him and convinced him to go to bed. He conceded sleepily and Adam reluctantly unentangled their fingers before ushering the other boy inside.

Adam drove home still thinking about Kai’s warm skin and how Kai hadn’t rejected his touch. When he got home Adam texted Mira to make sure she was still doing okay, and after receiving her answer his exhaustion took over and he climbed into bed.

He hoped desperately that he wouldn’t have anymore nightmares and repeated his new mantra in his head before falling asleep.

It’s not real. It’s not real.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I just finished the show and I loved it!! I just have so many feelings about these wonderful characters so I had to write a fic. I'm planning on making this a chapter fic, so hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Thanks guys!!


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